Bug or Not a Bug?

Quick question!

When an issue is considered a bug?

• 1) Something has been done and it is not working as intended.
• 2) Something is working as intended but the planning was flawed.
• 3) Something was done and is working as intended but things have changed over time and now the business rule is outdated.

I would like to know what you think, and please share cases where you have been in this doubt as well.

🤔

Comments

[Eric King]

It's a fairly subjective topic, but my take as a software developer is:

• If it's in production and it's not working as designed, it's a bug (though I usually call it a defect; I don't use the word "bug" because it has too much baggage)
• If it's in production and working as designed, it's not a bug
• If the design was flawed, or if the design is outdated, that doesn't make it a bug

To me, a bug represents production software that's not working as designed. A design flaw or outdated design is not a bug.

In reality though, the distinction is not very meaningful, since any production code that isn't working per current requirements needs to be fixed, right? Or at least put in a priority queue to fix.

[Neto Hog]

I agree with your point of view! This topic came up today because I was defining exactly in which queue (bug or not bug) the problem should go to be fixed.

Thanks for sharing! 👍